The Battles of the Pyrenees 1813

Interactive Map of Portugal and Spain

                    The British army under Wellington scored a great victory over the French on July 21 at Vittoria. The beaten French army made off towards Pamplona, cut off from using the high road to France by the Spanish general Longa on the day of the battle. Now it was up to Wellington to take full advantage of this victory by completing the destruction of his enemy before they could escape back to France.

            The 82nd Regiment, many in its ranks no doubt dead tired from the previous nights plundering and carousing, set of at 10am the next morning with the army, in pursuit of the French. The line of march took it to Salvatierra (June 22) – Iruzan (June 25) – Pamplona (June 26). The French army, however, always faster on the march than the British and sans artillery, made good its escape into the passes of the Pyrenees to the north. Pamplona, well fortified by a strong and well-victualed French garrison, was blockaded by Wellington. The 82nd with its division concentrated at the small village of Sielvas, in the environs of the besieged town.

  Interactive Map of The Pyrenees

The next day, the 82nd marched south along the Tudula road, in search of a French army corps under Gen. Clausel that had been cut off by the victory at Vittoria. The line of march took the regiment to Mendavil (June 27) - Olleta (June 28) - Caseda (June 29), where it was ordered to halt and given one days rest, as Clausel had got away to Saragossa, taking good roads down the Ebro valley. George Wood speaks of sultry summer heat mixed with days of rain-showers during this period. The army apparently was marching badly, given over to marauding so much that on the 29th no less than 2,733 were missing from the army, not far from the 3,164 casualties at Vittoria!

            After the day of rest at Caseda, the 82nd retraced it route back to Pamplona, reaching the town on July 2. Here, Lord Dalhousie was given command of the blockade of the town and Maj. Gen. Barnes, as senior Brigadier, took over temporary command of the 7th Division. On July 4, the regiment started its march up into the Pyrenees, where a French corps under Gen. Gazan held the passes into the Baztan valley. The 82nd’s line of march took it through Marcelain – Lizaso (July 5), to the pass of Arraiz, whose mountain track the regiment with its division trod over on the 6th, reaching Santebastion in the Baztan on the other side unopposed at the end of the day. Wood relates the march up into the Pyrenees thus:

   “We ascended these mountains, with many a rugged step, over steep precipices and craggy rocks; and, after winding up the stupendous heights for days together, reached the summit. We were now in some measure compensated for our toils, by seeing those troops, which had so often harassed us at last driven into their own country.”[1]

            As there were no major French units at Santebastion, Wood likely was seeing some cavalry vedettes beat a hasty retreat up the valley towards the Col de Maya, where Gazan’s main force was now in defensive positions, having been pushed out of the Col de Velatte pass by another advancing column under Wellington that same day. Next day, July 7, up the valley to the east, Wellington’s force attacked Gen. Gazan in the pass of Maya but was beaten off. Wellington had ordered Maj. Gen. Barnes to take his division around the French flank by mountain paths to Urdax and assault Gazan’s rear. Starting out well before dawn, however, the 82nd and its division got hopelessly lost in the mountain fastnesses and never got near to Maya. The next day, Gazan retired of his own accord, leaving the British in possession of the Baztan valley.

A test of wills in the Pyrenees Mountains 

After this unproductive affair, the 7th Division based itself at Santebastion until July 15, when Wellington ordered it down to the town of Echelar near the French border, to guard that defile against French incursions and to tie together British forces at Vera and Maya. The day before this order, Lord Dalhousie had been released from the blockade of Pamplona to once again take command of his old division. The 82nd Regiment was posted on the Atchiola mountain, about a mile south-west of the pass, were it was to keep communication open between the 7th and 2nd Divisions and to support either as need be. Two weeks later, as the men cooked breakfast on the morning of July 25, the sound of cannon-fire echoed from across the mountains from the south-east.

The Combat of Maya, July 25, 1813

            As the British siege of St. Sebastian got underway on July 14, 1813, the French army, now reconstituted, reorganized and under the supreme command of Marshal Soult, prepared to execute a large counter-attack with the objectives of relieving the blockade of Pamplona, dealing a blow to Wellington’s army and regaining the initiative in the war. One of the two main avenues chosen to reach Pamplona through the Pyrenees was the Col (or Pass) of Maya. The task of assaulting and carrying this pass was given to Lt. Gen. D’Erlon, who commanded three divisions of infantry led by General’s Abbe, Maransin and Darmagnac: a total force of roughly 21,000 bayonets. To oppose him, Wellington had put Lt. Gen. Rowland Hill in command of the Baztan, a high mountain valley with entries and exits in many directions, not least Pamplona and Maya. At the Col de Maya exit, Hill placed the 2nd Division (less a brigade) under Lt. Gen. William Stewart. Of the three brigades of the division assigned to Maya, Cameron’s was positioned in the pass itself while Pringle’s was placed further down into the valley about the town of Maya proper. Ashworth’s Portuguese Brigade was seven miles to the south east guarding the Ispegui Pass.

  Combat of Maya Map

            At 10:30 am on July 25, the French attack on the pass began. Gen. D’Erlon sent Darmagnac’s Division, 7,000 strong, up a track from the town of Espelette and overwhelmed a 400 man outpost on the Gorospil peak on the east side of the Col, in a short time making casualties or prisoners of every one of this large piquet. Against this French lodgment, the British counter-attacked desperately, but in a piecemeal fashion, and all or part of every one of Stewart’s and Pringles battalions: the 50th, 92nd, 71st, 28th, 24th and 39th were bloodily repulsed after gallant assaults against a well-situated and superior force.

            The British recoiled west along the crest of the pass and took up a second position, across the Chemin Anglais (or English Road) where it intersects the main track over the pass coming up from the French town of Urdax. Up this muddy conveyance came another French Division: the 6,000 bayonets of Gen. Maransin, which went into the attack on this second position and drove back the British again, over-running the camps of the 71st and 92nd in the process. It was at this time, about 4:30pm, when the 82nd Regiment arrived. It had heard the sounds of battle in the morning and had formed up, receiving orders from Stewart to advance well after the battle had began. Following the Chemin Anglais from its camp, the regiment skirted the north side of the Alcorrunz Peak just in time to see the French over-running the British encampments at the summit of the pass. From this vantage George Wood describes his view of the scene…

“…I observed the advanced brigade desperately engaged; and, to my great regret, I perceived those gallant regiments, the 50th and 71st, overpowered by numbers, falling back for support, and had the mortification of seeing the French take possession of their camp and strike their tents.”[2]

The regiment immediately joined the reserve line and as the British retired in echelon. As the British retreated, it took the front position and, being relatively fresh, delivered several shattering volleys, three cheers and a bayonet charge into the advancing French, driving the lead battalions in on their supports. For a short period of minutes, 650 men drove back 6,000. Also at this time, a company of the 82nd was sent to the crest of a steep knoll on the left of the line, where they joined a company of the 92nd already in place, forming a strong position and holding it against repeated French attacks. As the impetus of the 82nd's counter-attack faltered, the weight of French numbers soon began to push the British back again, down into the south side of the pass. The companies of the 82nd and 92nd on the knoll were cut off by this advance, but continued to hold out. There the company of 82nd men, upon running out of cartridges for their brown bess’s, resorted to the novel expedient of throwing stones at their adversaries clambering up the slope: a display of stubborn-ness mentioned in dispatches after the battle. Down at the main line, Gen. Stewart, wounded in the leg and observing the direness of the situation, prepared to order a retreat farther down the valley.

At this point, about 6pm, the British again received much needed reinforcements from the 7th Division. Two battalions: the 6th Foot and the Brunswick-Oels of Barne’s Brigade, had been marching hard all day from Echelar and poured out suddenly from a side-road a little south of the Alcorrunz peak, crashing into the advancing French right flank like a thunderbolt. In the French battalion who took the brunt of their charge, fifteen officers fell within a minute. Their fiery onset rallied the 82nd and the other regiments already engaged and within a short time the French masses were bundled back up to the crest of the pass, but no further. Wood was much impressed by the Duke of Brunswick's riflemen, commending them for their spirited attack:

“I could not help remarking the determined bravery of the Brunswicker's, who, as soon as they came near enough, rushed down upon the enemy like so many furies: this severe charge, and the support of other troops who now came up, arrested for the present the progress of the enemy.”[3]

In desperation, D’Erlon posted a fresh brigade from Abbe’s Division across the height and from this strong position the French held their ground. By 8pm the battle was over. The French had been contained in the pass by the hard fighting of the 2nd Division and the timely reinforcements of the 7th, including the initial support by the 82nd Regiment. Eight brave soldiers from the 82nd were slain in the pass that day, while 4 officers and 67 men were wounded: a total of 79 casualties. Wellington later described the counter-attack of the 82nd as “the admiration of all who witnessed it”[4] and in a dispatch to Lord Bathurst describing the combat, states:

“Notwithstanding the enemies superiority in numbers, they acquired but little advantage over these brave troops during the 7 hours they were engaged. All the regiments charged with the bayonet. The conduct of the 82d regt, which moved up with Maj. Gen. Barnes brigade, is particularly reported.”[5]

Retreat through the Mountains, July 26 - 29, 1813

            The evening drew to a close and the firing gradually ceased. With the cloudy night came a thick fog and a cold, misty rain, blanketing living, dying and dead alike. George Wood describes with sadness and horror the melancholy scene:

“Previous to quitting this gory spot, we were employed in collecting our wounded, by the sound of their piteous groans, as the foggy darkness prevented our finding them by any other means. These poor fellows were brought and laid by the fires made for that purpose. Now an order came to light more fires, to make the enemy imagine we were cooking, and meant to keep our ground; but this was mere finesse, for as soon as this order was executed, the word, or rather whisper, was circulated through the field, to stand to our arms, and we moved off by sections to commence this perilous retreat, leaving the wounded by the dwindling fires to the mercy of the foe: many were scattered about the bleak mountains far out of the main track, where perhaps they had a shorter period put to their existence by the hungry wolves, as several were at their last gasp when we left them; but there was no alternative.”[6]

General Hill, now arrived at the site, had ordered an immediate retreat south to the town of  Irurita. This was the beginning of a trying few days for the regiment: three night marches, closely pursued by the enemy, in a cold rain through the high mountain pass of Velatte, leading to Pamplona. Weariness pervaded as the men slogged through the mud and mire. By the end of the first march on the 26th, the regiment occupied Irurita. Here it stayed for a day, guarding the entrance to the pass and awaiting orders from Wellington. They arrived the next day. Hill and his force, including the 82nd and the other orphaned regiments of the 7th Division, were to make a night march over the Col de Velatte and be outside Pamplona by the end of the 28th. As night came, the British duly set off into the high pass as planned, but the weather did not cooperate. There was a rain-storm in the mountains all night, turning the march into a chaotic ordeal. In the words of Wood…

“So entangled were we among carts and horses, vicious mules, baggage, and artillery broken down, together with ammunition and other stores, which lined the roads, that we could not extricate ourselves from these impediments…here the Colonel asked me where my men were, for I had only three with me out of forty, the strength of the company of which I had command: I told him I did not know, as I could not see in the dark: however, he did not put me under arrest for it…in this miserable plight, I seated myself against a tree, where weariness caused me, even amidst this bustle, mud, and riot, to fall fast asleep.”[7]  

            Moving on a little later, Wood came to a bivouac, where by a fire he found Colonel Grant again, now fast asleep himself. His admiration for the regiment’s Chief he makes clear with prose and poetry…

“Near to one of them [a fire] I could not but observe our brave and hearty Colonel

‘His square-turn’d joints, and strength of limb,

Show’d him no carpet knight so trim;

But in close fight a champion grim,

In camps a leader sage.’

He was stretched on his back sound asleep, and seemed to be in a pleasant dream, although the rain, which was mizzling fast, trickled down his weather-beaten furrowed cheeks: this, added to the appearance of his venerable snowy locks, and his projecting bristly eye-brows, and his manly Caledonian countenance, presented one of the most martial and dignified pictures that a poet could describe, or painter depict.”[8]

                  As dawn came to the Pyrenees on July 28, the 82nd and its fellow corps debouched from the south end of the pass and filed into the town of Lizaso, where they found the 7th Division already arrived from another pass. Hill duly handed over the 82nd, 6th and Brunswick-Oels to Dalhousie, and the South Lancashire’s were once again placed among their old fellow corps as part of Maj. Gen. Inglis’s Brigade. The men now were totally knocked up and only rested for several hours before beginning another night march on the evening of the 28th, this being the day of the Battle of 1st Sorauren, farther to the south outside Pamplona, where an attack by another French army under Soult himself was turned back. After another night of groping in the dark along muddy roads, the 82nd reaching the village of Ollacarizqueta at dawn on the 29th. From there, the tired soldiers made one more effort over some tracks to the west and joined Wellington’s army at Sorauren. Here the commissary magically re-appeared, and the harassed men were able to enjoy a good meal and a much needed rest upon the soft heather of the hills.

The Battle of Second Sorauren, July 30, 1813

            Having arrived in the vicinity of Pamplona after an exhausting 5-day march following the action at Maya, the South Lancashire's took up a post on the south side of the Oricain mountain, west of the Ulzama River and Sorauren village. Here held the extreme left end of the British line, tying Wellington loosely in with Hill, who remained 6-7 miles north-west at Lizaso with another British force, blocking D’Erlon. Soult, having been checked at 1st Sorauren on the 28th and running out of time and supplies, determined to retreat and started the process of disengaging on the night of the 29th. Wellington, meanwhile, resolved to attack. As part of his orders, he directed Lord Dalhousie to send the 7th Division forward from its position on the left, in order to turn the French right flank and hinder its retreat. The 30th of July, 1813 began for the men of the 82nd with the sound of  battle ringing in their ears…

“Before the day dawned, we were awakened by the fire of musketry close upon us, with an alarm that the enemy had surprised us in our camp: we started up; and, half asleep, “Fall in, fall in! Stand to your arms! Quick, quick!” was the word, and instantly we were wheeled into line. The piquet's only were engaged; but they were so near that their balls came whistling among us. Ours were directly called in, and the dazzling rays of this day’s sun, peeping over the tops of the hills, displayed to our view the unfurled banners and glittering arms of the Gallic lines, which were drawn up in order of battle, waiting the attack.”[9]

                    Having ascertained the danger of his open flank, Marshal Soult had directed Gen. Vandermaesen to deploy several French battalions to the crest of the mountain across the valley from the 7th Division: a position important so as to cover the retreat of the French army towards Olague. Against these strong French positions Dalhousie set his Brigades in motion. First to go forward was Inglis’s Brigade, including the 82nd. After crossing the shallow creek between the two positions, the brigade went forward up the steep and well-wooded slope. The regiments marched side by side in line and not column, to give a broader front; their positions from left to right were the 68th, Chasseurs Brittanique’s, 82nd and 51st. The 82nd and Chasseurs advanced against the main French position, which was formed and ready to receive them.

Battle of 2nd Sorauren Map

                    The French let the regiment come in close and then poured a heavy volley into the attackers. It was immediately answered by with a volley from the 82nd. The 51st and 68th then poured in volleys. Then, with the French delivering a rolling musketry, the bugles and drums sounded, the entire brigade gave three resounding cheers and the men came forward at the ‘pas de charge’. In a few minutes, during which George Wood received a musket-ball in his shoulder, the crest was carried by the British.* Soon after, Inglis deployed his brigade in skirmishing order and drove the reeling French battalions down the opposite side of the height to where the enemy were retreating along the Ulzama River road. In this action both Col. Grant was again wounded, this time only slightly. The intensity of this desperate action comes across in the words of our faithful and now wounded diarist from the 82nd, who is quoted at length…

“The fight had already begun, and it was our turn to come in contact with the formidable foe. They were posted on a great height, and to that spot we hastened to dislodge them: here we saw the enemy in such force that we were obliged to show a front of six hundred men, when in reality we had not four; but we boldly advanced, till the shot flew as thick as a shower of hail about us, with a noise like the buzzing of bees. This was severe fighting; as we were compelled to drive the enemy from mountain to mountain at the point of the bayonet, without the assistance of either the dragoons or the artillery. In less than ten minutes one half of my company were killed or wounded; my brother subaltern and the sergeant gone to support the colours, the ensign being shot; my corporal was knocked down, and myself severely wounded by a musket-ball: my men were now, therefore, left without even a non-commissioned officer to command them; but the brave fellows went on in line with the regiment, and in about five minutes more I had the satisfaction of seeing them carry the hill. I cannot help comparing this scene to a gunner firing at a flock of sparrows; one half of which, at the moment, may be seen on the ground – some kicking, some chirping, some hopping away; others panting, sighing, and dying; and such was the case with us.”[10]

        Upon arriving at the bottom of the far side of the mountain, the 82nd and its brigade were joined by the rest of the 7th Division, opening up a harsh musketry on the retreating French columns across the Ulzama River and driving them along the road and up into the hills opposite. Following the west side of the Ulzama, the Division then pursued the French north until it came to a halt and made camp opposite the town of Ostiz. It had been a glorious day for the British arms and for the 82nd. In a dispatch to Lord Bathurst dated the 1st of August, Wellington applauds the conduct of 7th Division: “The attack made by Lieut. Gen. The Earl of Dalhousie was admirably conducted by his Lordship, and executed by Maj. Gen Inglis and the troops composing his brigade…”.[11] On a final note, Col. Grant, upon being taken to the medical depot, bleeding and having had his horse shot from under him, was heard by George Wood to exclaim…“You see, by Gad! You see we can fight as well as the General and his division: you see, though he did turn us out of it - By Gad! You see….”[12]. On that day 9 men of the regiment met their end, with 7 officers and 76 men wounded, and 4 missing.

                    As another fateful day of battle drew to a close,  the 7th Division was ordered by Wellington to move north-west to Lizaso, to link up there with Lt. Gen Hill’s force. With dawn on the 31st, the 82nd and its Division were in motion and by 2pm had arrived at Lizaso. Pushing through the town, the 7th Division caught up with Hill at Venta de Urroz near the foot of the Donna Maria pass. Here Hill was already in action, attacking the rearguard of the retreating French army, formed by Gen. Abbe’s Division. Inglis’s Brigade, being the first to arrive, immediately joined the assault. It was a steep climb and a tough fight, but the French after a stiff resistance retreated up the pass. Three men from the 82nd were wounded in this minor engagement. A fog, common in those mountains, rolled in at 5pm and allowed the French to escape further fighting. That night the 82nd was encamped in the pass. The 7th Division was left alone to follow the retreating French through the Donna Maria, while Hill took his army north-east over a separate route.

            With dawn on Aug. 1, the 82nd formed up and continued down the northern watershed of the Donna Maria Pass, debouching later in the day once again into the Baztan valley. The much larger French army in front of it had cleared the pass the previous evening and encamped about the town of Santesteban for a few hours. At 2:30am, long before daybreak, Marshal Soult continued his retreat, following the rough road down the gorge of the Bidassoa towards Sumbilla and Echelar. The 7th Division followed at a leisurely pace. It was headed off by the Gen. Cole and the 4th Division at Santesteban, and so did not take part in the combats that occurred as the French army scrambled down the gorge to safety. From here, the 82nd with its Division took up residence once again in the environs of Echelar. This was the conclusion of the Battles of the Pyrenees: a complete failure for Soult and his army and a hard blow to the morale of the French. For the 82nd Regiment, it had been much intense marching up hill and down dale, interspersed with some very hard fighting, where the regiment proved it was now the equal to any corps in Wellington’s army. The scandals of 1812 were finally put to rest.  For its gallant conduct in the affairs at Maya, 2nd Sorauren, Vente de Urroz and the coming contest on the Heights of Salain, the 82nd Foot was awarded the battle honour “Pyrenees”.

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